Folding table made of removable table top sections



FOLDING TABLE MADE OF REMOVABLE TABLE TOP SECTIONS Filed Jan. 25, 1957 E. LESHNER Nov. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Shea? 1 INVENTOR.

E RV! N LESH N ER ATTORNEKS:

E. LESHNER 2,861,855

FOLDING TABIsE MADE OF REMOVABLE TABLE TOP SECTIONS Nov. 25, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1957 muunnu INVENTOR.

ERVI N LESHNE R BY A TTOR NE Y5.

Nov. 25, 1958 LESHNER 2,861,855

FOLDING TABLE MADE REMOVABLE TABLE TOP SECTIONS Filed Jan 25, 195"! 5 SheetsSheet 5 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent FOLDING TABLE MADE 3F REMGVABLE TABLE TOP SEtl'lfilDNS Err/in Leshner, Philadelphia, Fag assignor to Faleo Products C0. {also known as Falco Products ilornpany), Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 23, 1957, Serial No. 635,663

Claims. ((11. 311-90) This invention relates to a folding table made of removably table top sections, the primary object of which is to effect important economies in the fabrication and assembly of the table and at the same time to increase the load strength of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding table comprised of table top sections which are secured together by detachable hinges so that the sections can be folded to a side by side position and can be unfolded to extend in a generally common horizontal plane, there being a means carried by one section to abut the other before the respective edges of the table sections meet in the extended or unfolded position. This means serves the dual function of taking the load off the materials from which the sections are made and also prevents detachability of the sections when they are in the extended or fully unfolded position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sectional folding table of the character described wherein thereis a means associated with the detachable hinge to prevent removability of the table sections when they are in the side by side or unfolded position. Thus when the means to prevent the detachability of the sections when they are extended and the means to prevent de' tachability of the sections when they are folded are com bined, the sections become detachable only at positions intermediate the fully folded and the fully unfolded positions of the sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a detachable hinge mechanism which is adaptable for use with light-weight folding tables such as those shown and described in Patent Nos. 2,743,978 and 2,743,979 and the like.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present table in its fully folded position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the table in its fully unfolded or erected position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary discerpedview of the table;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary end view of the table sections in the folded position;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of sections in position for assembly;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the table sections in assembled form; Figure 8 is a sectional View taken on the line 8--8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11 showing the sections in partially folded position;

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 looking from the inside of the table towards the hinge and illustrating the manner of detaching the sections;

Figure 14 is an elevational view of another type of folding table with the detachable hinge mechanism of the present invention;

Figure 15 is a longitudinal section through a drop leaf of the table of Figure 14 with the brace elevated;

Figure 16 is a fragmentary view of a detail of the brace of the table of Figure 14;

Figure 17 is a fragmentary side elevation of a table incorporating the detachable hinge mechanism of the present invention with another type of bracing; and

Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 15 but illustrating the brace of Figure 17 in the elevated position.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings wherein similar reference characters are used for corresponding elements throughout.

While the invention is shown in the drawings as applied to a drop leaf folding table of the type disclosed in Patent Nos. 2,743,978 and 2,743,979, it will be understood that the principles of the invention can as well be applied to any type of table which is fabricated of separable table sections.

Basically, the invention is applied to at least two table top sections 10 and 12 which when interconnected by detachable hinge mechanisms can be folded so that they lie side by side as shown in Figure 1 or unfolded to a fully erect position where the sections lie in a generally common horizontal plane as shown in Figure 2.

The table tops may be supported by suitable legs 14 which are hinged to the corners of one of the sections and which can be retained in the erected position by any suitable brace 16. Suitable brace means 18 may be employed to retain one of the sections in the unfolded position in general horizontal alignment with the other section.

Each section is provided with a table top panel 20 which is suitably retained in a depending peripheral skirt 22, here shown preferably as an F-shape-d frame.

Considering first the invention as shown in Figures 1-10, it will be seen that the skirt 22 of one of the sections 10 has riveted or otherwise secured thereto as at 24 at its inner face and adjacent each of its corners a plate 26. The plate is disposed on the inner face of the skirt 22 and includes a female hinge member 23 which extends slightly beyond the corner of the sectionll) in a longitudinal direction, said female hinge member being provided with a circular aperture 3t). Reaarwardly of the female member 28, the plate 26 is provided with an offset lug 32'which extends at an angle towards the member 28 for a purpose later to appear.

Secured by appropriate rivets or other means 34 adjacent each of the inner corners of the skirt 22 of the other tabletop section 12 is a plate 36 which is also disposedon the inner face of the skirt. The plate 36 includes a depending offset male member having an inwardlyextcnding lip 38 which is adapted to enter into the aperture 30 of thefemale hinge member. The inner edge portion 40 of the skirt 22 of the section 1.2 is cut out at its corners as at 42 and similar cut-outs are provided in the inner skirt portion 22 of the other table section 10 adjacent its corners. Secured to the plate 36,

or if desired tothe skirt 22 itself, is a lug 44 which tween the skirt portion 22 and the table top 20 of the table section 12, it will be understood that the side portions of the skirt 22 can be spread apart a short distance beyond their normal position of perpendicularity with respect to the table top. When the side portions of the skirt are so spread apart, the male lugs 38 are clear of and in position to enter the apertures 30 of the female hinge member 28. When the side portions of the skirt are released back to their normal position, the male lugs 38 snap into the apertures 30 and the section 12 is thereby hinged to the section 10 and can be rotated from the side by side position shown in Figures 1 and 4 to the coplanar position shown inFigures 2 and 7-9.

When thesections 10 and 12 are folded so that they are in the side by side or carrying position, the offset lug 32 of the female hinge member 28 overlies the offset portion of the male hinge member 36, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 with the result that in this fully folded position, the sections and 12 are not detachable.

On the other hand, when the sections are unfolded so that they are in a generally coplanar horizontal position, the lug 44 of the male hinge member 36 enters the cutouts provided at the corners of the inner skirt of the section 10 and bridges the juncture between the sections. In so doing, the lugs 44 are positioned inwardly against the side portions of the skirt 22 of the section 10 at their corners, thereby preventing detachability of the sections in the fully unfolded or coplanar position.

There is, in addition, a further important function which is served by the lugs 44. The lugs 44 are of a predetermined length and in the fully unfolded or co planar position of the sections, the free edges of the lugs 44 butt against the free edges 46 of the hinge plates 26, as shown clearly in Figures 7 and 10. The free edges of the lugs 44 butt against the edges 46 of the hinge plates 26 slightly in advance of the time that the inner skirt portions of the respective sections meet. This functions to take the load or pressure off the materials from which the sections themselves are made. In other words, the construction is such that the hinge is detachable but in the unfolded or coplanar position of the sections, the

hinge holds its own load, even though the sections can be retained in a horizontal coplanar position.

In view of the fact that the sections are not detachable at the fully unfolded or coplanar position and at the fully folded or side by side position, it will therefore be seen that the detachability of the sections can be effected only in positions intermediate these extremes. Thus important economies may be effected in the assembly of the sections because they are removable, but the security of the sections at important points, namely at the fully folded and fully unfolded positions, is not impaired because of the means to prevent removability of the sections at these positions.

The modification shown in Figures 11-13 is substantially the same in construction as that previously described except that the male and female members of the detachable hinge mechanism are somewhat altered and the lugs 32 to prevent detachability of the sections at their folded or side by side position are eliminated.

As seen in Figures 11-13, the plate 26 is provided with a female hinge member 48 which extends in a longitudinal direction beyond the inner edge of the skirt of the section 10, said member 48 including an open-ended hook 50. The plate 36 of the other table section 12 is provided with a depending offset male hinge member 52 which includes at its end an inwardly extending lip 54. In this construction the lip 54 can be made to engage the female member 48 'by slipping it into the latter through the open end of the hook 50 as suggested in Figure 13. When so engaged, the sections 10 and 12 are hinged to each other for relative rotation from the folded I Q ment between these two members is such that the sections cannot be removed at the fully folded or side by side position and at the fully unfolded or coplanar position, but only at a predetermined position intermediate these extremes when the lip 54 is in true alignment with the open end of the hook 50, again as suggested in Figure 13.

While the invention as shown in Figures 1-13 is applied to a light weight drop leaf folding table with divergent supporting legs, it will be understood that it can be applied to any sectional table and can further be applied to a folding drop leaf table wherein the legs are not divergent, as shown in Figures 14-18. The legs 56 as shown therein may be pivoted by any suitable means to the central table section 58 and the latter may be detachably hinged to the drop leaves 60 by the detachable hinge mechanisms previously described in connection with Figures 1-13. To maintain the legs in a position of perpendicularity when fully erected, a suitable brace such as the conventional folding link 62 may be employed, each of which links is terminally pivoted to the leg 56 and to a portion of the central table section 58 as clearly shown in the drawings.

Inasmuch as the leaves 60 are detachably hinged to the central table section 58, they can be removed so that the consumer can convert a long drop leaf table to a shorter bridge table. In so doing it is of advantage from the standpoint of foot clearance to have the legs 56 extend generally perpendicularly to the central table section 58 when fully erected. It is also of advantage that the brace means to support the leaves in their extended position be such as to be detachable as a unit with the leaves.

To effect this, there is pivoted as at 64 to each of the sides of the leaf 60 a link 66, the free end of which is provided with an open-ended hook 68 for removable engagement with a suitable pin 70 which is carried by the leg 56 at a predetermined position. When the table is fully folded to the carrying position the link 66 is positioned inwardly of the leaf 60.

Where it is desired to use a larger support for the drop leaf, a different type of brace can be employed as shown in Figures 17 and 18. Pivoted as at 72 to each side of each leaf fairly far along its length is one link member of the conventional break-type brace 74, the free end of the other link being provided with a hook 76 which is adapted to engage a pin 78 carried by the leg 56 at a predetermined location. Here again in the fully folded or carrying position of the table, the break-type brace 74 is disposed inwardly of the leaf as shown in Figure, 18. Thus it will be seen that in the constructions in Figures 14-18 the drop leaves can be removed together with their supports as units thereby converting the structure to a bridge table without leaves.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described hereabove, it will be understood that a skilled artisan may make minor variations in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. Thus, for example, the male and female hinge members may be reversed from the positionsshown in the drawings and the lugs 44 can be carried by the female hinge member instead of the male one.

Also, the corners of the pivot lips 38 may be rounded instead of squared at their free corners to prevent binding of the lips in the apertures 30 when one lip 38 is removed from its corresponding aperture prior to the other.

I claim: p

1. A sectional folding table comprising at least two substantially rectangular sections each having a top and a depending peripheral skirt, legs hinged to at least one of said sections adjacent its corners and a detachable hinge mechanism removably connecting the sections,

said sections being movable from a folded side by side position to an unfolded substantially coplanar position with the inner skirt edges closely adjacent each other, said hinge mechanism comprising a pair of removably interengaging hinge members secured to the skirts of the respective sections adjacent said inner edges and a lug of predetermined length carried by one of said hinge members and extending beyond said inner skirt edge, whereby when the sections are unfolded to their substantial coplanar position, the end portion of said lug is positioned inwardly of the skirt of the other table section to prevent detachability of the sections and whereby s'aid lug strikes a portion of the other table section before said inner skirt edges meet to thereby reduce the load on the materials from which the table sections are made.

2. A folding sectional table comprising at least two substantially rectangular sections each having a top and a depending peripheral skirt, legs hinged to at least one of said sections adjacent its corners, a first hinge member secured to the skirt of one section adjacent its corner and including an inwardly extending lip, a second hinge member secured to the skirt of the other section adjacent its corner and including an aperture receiving said lip, said lip being of such length and the skirt of said one section being of such resilience that the skirt can be spread apart a sufficient distance to allow removal of the lip from the aperture.

3. The combination of claim 2 and a lug carried by one section and abutting a portion of the other section before the corresponding edges of the respective sections meet when the sections are unfolded to extend in a generally common plane, said lug also abutting the inner face of the skirt of the other section to prevent detachability of the sections when they are in the said unfolded position.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein one of said first and second hinge members includes a further lug which extends over the other hinge member when the sections are folded to extend in side by side relation thereby to prevent detachability of the sections in the said folded position.

5. A portable folding drop leaf table having a substantiaily rectangular central section including a depending peripheral skirt with legs hinged thereto adjacent the corners thereof, break-type folding braces interconnecting said legs and said central section whereby said legs can be releasably retained in extended support positions, substantially rectangular drop leaves, having depending peripheral skirts, detachable hinge means attaching each drop leaf to said central section, said hinge: means including a first hinge member secured adjacent each corner of said central section and including an inwardly extending lip, a second hinge member secured to the adjacent corners of each drop leaf and including an aperture receiving said lip, said lip being of such length and the skirt of said central section being of such resilience that it can be spread apart a suificient distance to allow removal of the lip from the aperture, a lug secured to the inner face of the skirt of each of said drop leaves adjacent each of said second hinge members and a shoulder on the inner face of the skirt of said central section adjacent said first hinge member, said lug abutting said shoulder just prior to the time the corresponding edges of said drop leaves and said shoulders meet in the extended position of said drop leaves to reduce the load on the materials from which the sections are made and to prevent detachability of the sections in said extended position of the drop leaves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,431,172 Musselman Oct. 10, 1922 1,858,857 Huntley May 17, 1932 2,342,591 McLean Feb. 22, 1944 2,743,978 Shore May 1, 1956 

